Bush
rules out N-deal with PakistanIslamabad,
March 4In a blunt rejection
of Pakistan's demand for a civilian nuclear deal on the
lines he clinched with India, US President George W Bush
today said the two countries had different needs and
different histories. After discussions with President
Pervez Musharraf here, the US leader was asked by
reporters whether Washington would have with
energy-deficient Pakistan. In
video (28k, 56k)

US
may help in building highways, bridges, modernising
airportsNew
Delhi, March 4
The Indo-US strategic partnership is set to get into the
fifth gear shortly which will completely eclipse the
nuclear deal in scope and expanse. The US-India CEO Forum,
which was addressed by President George W Bush after its
meeting at Hyderabad House on March 2, has flagmarked
important areas of cooperation, covering every single
vital sector from infrastructure to defence to energy to
healthcare. (Details
in Nation page)

US President George W. Bush
(right) and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf at a press
conference in Islamabad on Saturday.
— Reuters photo

Vaiko
ditches Karunanidhi, aligns with JayaTiruchi, March 4The ruling United People's Alliance
at the Centre today suffered a serious political setback as one of its
constituents, Marumarlchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam quit the DMK-led
Democratic Progressive Aliance in Tamil Nadu and enterd into a poll
alliance with its arch rival Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
In video (28k,
56k)

Tiwari
quits as CM of UttaranchalDehra Dun, March 4N.D. Tiwari, who has been sulking
for quiet sometime for allegedly being marginalised in Congress
hierarchy, today quit as Uttaranchal Chief Minister and sent his
resignation to party President Sonia Gandhi.

RLD
may withdraw support to MulayamLucknow, March 4Rashtriya Lok Dal leader in the
Vidhan Sabha and Irrigation Minister Munna Singh Chauhan resigned today.
He would be replaced by another RLD
leader, Dr Merajuddin Ahmad. President
of the Uttar Pradesh Export Corporation, he would be sworn in at the Raj
Bhavan tomorrow morning.

Mulayam
fears for lives of son, Amar SinghLucknow,
March 4
Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today expressed grave fear for the
life of his son and party MP from Kannauj Akhilesh Yadav and his Man
Friday and national party general secretary Amar Singh. (Details
in Nation page)

Police
opens fire on mob in GoaMumbai, March 4Simmering tensions in Goa’s
mining belt got out of hand today after a contingent of the Rapid Action
Force opened fire on a mob comprising RSS workers, who were terrorising
Muslim residents of Sanvordem town.

Banerjee
panel used as tool: BJPNew Delhi, March 4Charging Justice U C Banerjee with
letting himself for "political manoeuvring", the BJP today
said the probe committee's action in submitting the report had
"played truant" with the judiciary.

Banerjee
report motivated: RajnathAhmedabad,
March 4
BJP president Rajnath Singh has termed the Banerjee Committee report on
the Sabarmati Express burning case as politically motivated. "It is
a Central government excess (zulm) on not only the Gujarat government
but also on the people of the state.(Details
in Nation page)

‘Punished’ for spilling beans, says RatnaAmritsar, March 4 Even as the city has become a haven for “land mafia” that enjoys the patronage of politicians and bureaucrats, Ms Ratna, former Chairperson, Punjab State Social Welfare Board, today spilled the beans on the burning issue by alleging that she was “unceremoniously removed” from the post of Chairperson of the Improvement Trust, Amritsar.